LAST UPDATE | 8 Jan 2025

GOOD MORNING. Here’s all the news to know as you start your day.

1. Weather warning

A Status Orange low temperature and ice warning is in place for 22 counties this morning after temperatures fell as low as minus five degrees in some areas last night.

Met Éireann has said it will remain extremely cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow, with the potential impacts including dangerous travel conditions, travel disruption and animal welfare issues.

Weather stations in Dublin, Mullingar and Cavan recorded temperatures of minus five degrees overnight, with many other areas reaching as low as minus four and minus three.

2. Housing prices

The price of a second-hand home in Dublin rose by €50,000 in 2024, with further increases predicted for 2025.

That’s according to figures by property advisors DNG, who say house price hikes aren’t slowing down, after a 9.6% rise in the capital last year.

At a national level (excluding Dublin) there was an 8.4% increase in the average price of a second-hand home – almost double the rate of growth witnessed in 2023 (+4.3%).

3. Government talks

The Social Democrats are on the verge of pulling out of government formation talks due to a belief that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are only willing to implement to “small tweaks” rather than “transformative change” to areas such as housing.

4. Paula Canty

Gardaí have arrested a man in connection with the suspected murder of Paula Canty in Co Cork.

5. Hit and runs

There have been at least seven serious traffic collisions where the driver failed to remain at the scene on Irish roads in the last two months.

Five people died across four of these incidents. In a number of cases, people have since been charged and appeared before the courts. However, the drivers in other incidents are yet to come forward.

6. Trump threats

Donald Trump has unveiled some of his foreign policy plans for when he returns to the White House next month, threatening a number of countries in the process.

The incoming US president announced he was planning to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” and refused to rule out using military force to seize Greenland and the Panama Canal.

7. Wildfires

A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles due to wildfires whipped up by extreme winds.

The fire forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, some of whom abandoned their cars and fled on foot to safety with roads blocked.

8. Ted Howell

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald paid tribute to lifelong Irish republican Ted Howell as a “patriot” during his funeral in west Belfast.

9. BT Young Scientist

Students from across Ireland are arriving in Dublin’s RDS this morning to take part in the BT Young Scientist & Technology exhibition, which is being held over the next four days.